It's A Long Walk From The Street - A journey with a guy named "Joe" - part 13

So, this is how we got here. After burning relationship after relationship because of an addiction from his youth, Joe was now a homeless man with very little hope.

I remember listening to – then, President-elect Barack Obama as he encouraged this nation to find a way to help our own communities. I remember the story of the Good Samaritan who took out the time to rescue someone who was of another culture but in need of help. I remember all the times in the scriptures when Jesus made himself accessible to the crowd and would stop in the midst of his hectic schedule to help people. I remember the stories of how Jesus would be on his way to an important appointment but would deviate from his agenda to tend to the need of someone whose path he happened to cross.

How can we as Christians be too busy to deviate from our schedules and help people in our communities? How can we be the body of Christ and not literally work to make this world better?

I sat in two funerals toward the end of the year and saw how these two people affected so many lives. They lived lives that truly outlived them. They did things that lived on in the people they helped. I decided that I want to do the same. I know that God didn’t just put me here to take care of Michael. I was placed on this earth to make it better. I was born to help Joe.

Saturday:
Got in the car to head back to Virginia. I couldn’t wait to start calling Joe’s family and see where things stood. I was so incredibly thrilled to find out that Joe’s brother and daughter had combined their efforts and got Joe into the Union Mission. Already, the family relationships were starting to re-emerge. Joe was on the first leg of what would be a 28-day stay.